The present invention relates to a storage battery having at least two plate-shaped individual cells, each accommodating a solid electrolyte.
High energy batteries equipped with solid electrolytes such as Na/S batteries or zebra batteries, are at present normally constructed as cylindrical cells having a tube shaped ceramic (solid) electrolyte (U-shaped in longitudinal section) composed of .beta.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. This is described in detail in Engelis, Birnbreier and Haase, ETZ Vol. 14 (1987) pages 658-664, and in Dell, Bones, B. Electrochem 4(4), 319 (1988). The cells of the battery are equipped with first and second poles (+ and -), with the cell housing generally constituting the second pole. The first pole is brought out of the top of the cylinder and is connected to a central or inner electrode within the housing which is separated from the housing by the electrolyte and a surrounding outer electrode. Within the battery, the cells are connected in series by appropriately connecting the positive pole of the one cell with the negative pole of the following cell so as to build up appropriate voltages in the battery. This means that in the construction of the battery, the interconnection of the cells involves welding and installation work.
During operation of such a high power battery, the internal resistance of the cells creates heat. Due to the cylindrical construction of the cells, this heat can be dissipated only by way of an electrode, that is, the electrode nearest the housing (the outer electrode). The inner electrode must conduct the heat developed there through the ceramic of the electrolyte to the outer electrode and from there to the outside via the housing. This produces a temperature gradient in the interior of the cell. To avoid thermal overloads in the cells, it is necessary that the magnitude of the power or its duration, and the throughput of cooling air be selected so that system specific temperature limits cannot be exceeded.